Sports briefs: Vick debates legal future

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Michael Vick spent hours talking with his attorneys as the embattled Atlanta Falcons’ quarterback figures out whether to accept a plea deal from prosecutors in the federal dogfighting case against him. Prosecutors were not involved in the teleconference. The other three co-defendants in the case have all reached plea agreements.

Donaghy gave tips by phone

Disgraced former NBA referee Tim Donaghy tipped off high-stakes gamblers with inside information by speaking in code via phone and was paid $5,000 when his picks hit. The amazing revelation came in a Brooklyn, N.Y., federal courtroom as the 40-year-old Donaghy plead guilty to two felony counts in a gambling scandal that has brought into question the integrity of officials everywhere, particularly in the NBA. "By having this nonpublic information, I was in a unique position to predict the outcome of NBA games," Donaghy said. He faces 25 years in prison and will be sentenced Nov. 9 for conspiracy to engage in wire fraud and transmitting betting information through interstate commerce. Donaghy also must pay a $500,000 fine and at least $30,000 in restitution to the government. Donaghy began betting on games in 2003, court papers say, and he offered more sensitive info beginning in December.